Learning with Diverse Families
The holidays are coming up! It can be a great time to spend with loved ones. On the other hand, it can be rather difficult for family members who are grieving for the ones who are not here. We often think that children are not able to understand changes within family dynamics.
While it is true that it may be difficult for children to understand, for the most part, children are resilient and accepting. All they want is to be in a family with love and stability, healthy boundaries, behavior, and love. After all, families are just groups of people who respect and genuinely love one another as they face life together.
Here are three ways to help your child learn about different families:
1) Keep it simple. Help your little ones understand by stating simple phrases like, “Sarah lives with her Aunt. Her Aunt is her family” or “Riley has two moms. They are their family”. It might feel difficult to talk about sad concepts like death or separation. This blog and Yolo County Library have more information about talking with children about grief.
2) Talk to them about the different families they know – their neighbors and friends. It can be difficult to talk about families that are different from your own. If there is something you don’t know, nurture curiosity by simply stating “I don’t know, let’s find out together”. Check out the organizations listed below to help you learn together as a family.
3) Read with your child and your loved ones. There really is no better way to learn something new. It is an excellent way to spark a conversation about what family means and to embrace the ways your family is truly unique.
Here are some books that help children understand the diverse families and welcome the differences in their own. Even though some of these books are in Spanish, you can still talk about the story based on the illustrations.
Mi Nueva Mama y Yo/ My New Mom and Me by Renata Galindo
Cat mom is different from the puppy but she loves him just as he is, sans stripes and all. Together they are learning to be a family.
The Family Book by Todd Parr
Some families are big, some families are small, others have two moms or two dads. No matter what kind of family you have, it is special in its own way.
El espejo en la casa de mamá; el espejo en la casa de papá por Luis Amavisca
Mom and dad are divorced, and now I have two of everything. Two houses, two rooms, two mirrors, and one reflection: my parents love me very much.
Stella Brings the Family by Miriam Baker Schiffer
Miriam’s class will celebrate Mother’s Day. The only problem is that she has two daddies. With the help of her family, Mirian finds a solution to make this day memorable.
Organizations:
Pflag – LGBTQIA+ families organization, support available in English and Spanish.
Childmind.org Resources for kids and families navigating divorce, support available in English and Spanish.
Adoptuskids.org has various resources to help parents who adopt or foster, support is available in Spanish and English.
TAGS: Family, Diversity, LGBTQIA, Foster, Adopt, Divorce, Resilience
